The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-09-22

her claim thereto when she had
virtually abandoned it, you, Mr. Editor,
have truthfully testified in the columns
of The STATESMAN. If Texas shall sue
coed, and 1 confidently expect her to do
county. her success must be due solely to
the evidence thus adduced by him, to
obtain which he was prompted by the hope
of benefting his mostly INDECENT fellow
veterans and the state, as we'll as him
self.
But the history of Greer county has
another side. Purchasers of q majority
of those veteran land certificates have fol-
lowed Col. Swisher into Greer county and
located there, and received patents to
Their surveys. The ex attorney general
having sued them for the annullmert of
their patents, and obtained judgment
against them in the district court of
Travis county, and a confirmation thereof
in the supreme court, they have no rem
edy. To me this looks like a hardship;
but, as they are understood to be wealthy,
trust that they are able to stand it,
But, to the mostly INDECENT veterans
whose certificates have been located for
luCIl ny wi. OWlohCl, Wis DlOW 10
crushing. This last suit secures the an
nullment of their patents also, whenever
their cause shall be tried in a court. Their
fellow-veteran who had labored so long,
diligently and faithfully for them has al
ready been sued, and his cause is pending.
He and his fellow-veterans are not, like
the Day Land and Cattle company, able
to stand it. Is there no merit in their
securing Greer county to Texas? Must
they lose their well earned title
to the 117,120 acres, less than
one fourteenth part of the
1,6S0,000 acres which they have thus vir-
tually and really added to the states
lands? Is this the settled policy?
The honorable attorney-general has
given his opinion that the late suit against
the Day Land and Cattle company has
already decided the fate of all the veteran
claims in Greer county. In pursuance of
this opinion, he has advised the commits
sioner of the general land Office to sec
tiOnize Greer county, and to sell or lease
all the lands therein. All O. this includes
the individual veteran lands. This is
taking possession of property in antici-
patton of future judgments-even of flu
UulO SulUos II lllo SbdUo uluSb
sectionize Greer county and dispose of
the lands therein, why may she not, for
the present, work around our surveys !?
Has not the encouragement the right to
reconsider? Would it not be magnani-
nous in him to do so! Would not pos
terity honor him for so doing?
Colonel Swisher has presented to the
governor written request that no suits
shall be entered against holders of indi-
vidual patents befo re the meeting of the
next legislature, that they may have
opportunity to ask that honorable body
to validate their patents. l do Eot sup
pose that any one doubts the just and
lawful power of the governor to grant
this most reasonable request, nor of the
legislature to give the veterans hear
ing. This would not materially inter
fere with the attorney generals plan;
only few acres, comparatively, of
the many that they have saved
to the state being involved. Why be
hasty in depriving them of this last OPP
portunity of seeking redress?
can but regard as remarkable the unset
fshness of Col. Swisher in making. this
reasonable request in behalf of his friends,
while for himself, who has spent his all
in this cause, he does not even ask con-
tinuance of his case for the same time. 1
think this Justice should be rendered him.
1 must risk being thought an egotist by
referring once more to myself. j am as
proud as ever of the sacrifices which 1
have made for my country, but I have
more than begun to place lower esti-
mate upon the praises frequently lavished
upon Texas veterans. l am severely
tempted to regard them as equivalent to
those bestowed upon a faithful old horse,
that, after exhausting his vitality in his
masters service, is turned out upon dry
pasture to starve. My $40 acres of Greer
county land is now my all, and must it be
taken back as an Indian g lift?
Please permit me, Mr.. Editor, now to
quote from your editorial of this morn
ing. You say:
"She (Texas) was resting in dignitied
and quiet acquissence, while Uncle Sam
was surveying the county for himself, and,
in business-like way, was taking posses,
sion of it; and but for the energetic action
of that old defender of Texas in her days
of danger, Col. John M. Swisher and
Others, who even went to Washington, and
among the musty and forgotten rolls of
the departments there, searched out and
established maps that prove the title of
that county to be unquestionably in
Texas, at that time Greer county, would
be part of the Indian Territory, and
Texas would have lost valuable posses
SION"
But what is Col. Swisher's reward? 1
have written this letter at my own option,
without the knowledge or advice of Col.
Swisher or any one else.
Most respectfully, your obedient servant,
W. p. ZUBER.
Darby, Grimes county, Texas.